An Onion Question

[OldGuy43]

While on the subject, what's "bolting"?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Bolting is going to seed. Radishes, lettuce, many things bolt. For many things it means they are about done and maybe the flavor or consistency isnt what you want any more. For other things, like Basil, as long as you remove the flowers as they form the plant will keep producing.

A bolting onion sends up a flower stalk. Its hard and grows all the way to the root. You cannot use this hard fibrous part but you can remove it and use the rest of the onion bulb.

Here's what the University of Florida said about it.


http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/giam/plants_and_grasses/fruits_vegetables/bolting.html


If you're new to vegetable gardening, you may have heard the term "bolting." But what does it actually mean?

Bolting is another way to say that a vegetable plant has started to flower. It can happen in spring when cool-season crops respond to the warmer temperatures and longer days. Crops that often bolt include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, lettuce, collards, and other greens.

The trouble is that bolting can affect the quality of your harvest. As plants put more energy into flowering and setting seed, the vegetables will start to taste bitter.

Pinch off any flowers as they appear, and you may be able to extend your harvest season by a few weeks. And in the future, look for seed varieties that are labeled as "slow bolting."

 

[OldGuy43]

Oh, thank you Ridge'. Now I know.

 

[majorcatfish]

our onions ranged from small to large and all tasted great. the dw is not a onion person but she did say she liked the flavor of these compared to store brought ones.
she did request that more shallots and a valida be planted next year....
so i guess bigger is not always better....

 

[Smart Red]

I have never been able to grow a big red onion. This year I did grow the biggest ones yet, but they are still small in comparison to the yellow onions I was so successful with this year. My whites are a bit bigger than the reds, but smaller than the yellows. That's really okay as I think the yellows last the longest anyway.

This year's was the best onion crop I've managed to get in - - in forever.

 

[897tgigvib]

That's great news Smart! Keep doing what you're doing. One of my campers here, she really has the knack for onions in the kitchen. She dices red onions and does some kind of marinating, with super thin slices of garlic. I think she uses some kind of ronco vegematic slicer to get them that thin. Just a little garlic is her secret for great red onions. One of these days I'll ask her for the basic recipe of it.

 

[OldGuy43]

with super thin slices of garlic. I think she uses some kind of ronco vegematic slicer to get them that thin.

I may be able to help there. I grew up in an Italian neighborhood, and many times they would use a single edge razor blade to slice the garlic really thin. You could almost read through it.

 

[Smart Red]

Yum! That sounds delicious.

I really like adding onions to my cooking. I need to convince the rest of the family that they love them as well. Like garlic, eating onions needs to be a family affair.